Moving Cats to Hawaii

Moving Cats to Hawaii & Quarantine Processing -

how it works

Relocating Cats to Hawaii from Mainland USA including Alaska:

What We Do –

In a Nutshell, our basic cat shipping service includes:-
• Preparing all documentation for the State of Hawaii
• We gather all documents directly from your vet clinic (or clinics)
• We send you completed Import forms and we file them in person at the Department of Agriculture to be sure they receive everything and that everything is correct
• We review your health certificate prior to flight for accuracy
• You pay one bill to us – no need for money orders or sending documents via FedEx or certified mail
• We send checklists to you or whoever is watching your cat on the mainland for the final vet visit and the airport
• We make all flight reservations for your cat and give you all options that are available so you can decide what will work best for your time and budget.
• We do not favor one airline over another just to make a few dollars so we give you all options and costs and let you determine what airline and airport works best for you
• We’ll have you send a picture of your crate so we know it’s the right crate – and if you don’t have one, we’ll order one for you – shipping is always free
• We’ll pick your cat up upon his/her arrival to Honolulu and deliver to your new home. (if you are more than 10 miles from the airport due to the high cost of fuel lately, there is a fuel surcharge of $15.00 additional-when gas drops back below $3.85 we will remove the surcharge)
• If you are heading to one of the other islands, our service includes a pickup, potty break and transfer to the night flight
• And of course you get our expert service and local relationships all provided with the Aloha Spirit of Hawaii that we all love!

The Details –

Verifying Vaccinations - The first step in this process is verifying that your pet’s rabies vaccinations are current and ensuring that they were given in compliance with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s timeline. Island Pet Movers works directly with your veterinarian to verify this information. If you do not have original rabies documentation, we gather all of these necessary documents for you. You do not have to stress about finding “original” documents. In some cases we have had clients with three and four different veterinarian clinics, it’s what we do, not what you need to do!

FAVN Tider Testing - Once we have determined that you have the required rabies vaccinations we will work with your vet to ensure they have the proper documents needed for submitting your pet’s blood work to Kansas State University for FAVN tider testing. While many vets are familiar with this process, we find that many more have never submitted blood for this testing and are appreciative of our guidance in this process. (Military clients should have their lab work sent to the DOD facility located in Texas – this is NOT required, however it is less expensive).

120 Wait - Once the FAVN process has begun so does the 120 day wait period. All dogs and cats must undergo the 120 wait period, we can ensure this process and the timing is correct, but our clients are still required to wait the 120 day period prior to entry to Hawaii.

Relocating prior to the end of the 120 days - We monitor this timeframe and results from the testing and ensure that your pets will only enter Hawaii after fully completing their 120 day wait period. If our human clients must relocate to Hawaii prior to the completion of this 120 day period, we suggest that a friend or a family member tend to their pet until the end of the waiting period. We will work with this caretaker to get them ready for the departure, making this process as stress-free as possible for them as well! If you do not have someone to look after your pets during this period, they can enter Hawaii early, however they will be required to wait out the remaining days in quarantine at Halawa Valley.

Long Term Boarding at the Ranch - Island Pet Movers now offers affordable long term boarding at our family ranch nestled in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. For those of our clients who do not have someone to look after their pets, and would prefer that they do not finish this wait period in quarantine here in Hawaii, we offer a friendly, comfortable environment for your pets. Unlike quarantine here in Hawaii, pets are kept together if preferred, dogs are exercised and walked daily. They are given lots of hugs and attention and weekly updates and pictures are sent via email. Space is limited so please inquire early if you are interested in this service. This boarding facility IS ONLY for our clients waiting out their entry date to Hawaii. We do not board for holidays or vacations.

Travel Crates - If you do not already have airline approved travel crates for your pets, we will help you to ensure you get the right crate. We can have crates shipped directly to your home, shipping is always FREE. For our larger dogs we offer custom wooden crates built to specifications for your dogs comfort. If your pet is not already crate trained, we suggest obtaining this crate as soon as possible to begin the process which will help to ensure that your pet travels much more comfortably. For tips on crate training please see our tips page.

Cat Import Form - Approximately 30 days prior to your pet’s departure for Hawaii, we will process and file your Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s Dog and Cat Import Form AQS-278. We will file this form directly in person at the Department of Agriculture and pay your fees for you. This ensures that the form is completed correctly, as well eliminates the inconvenience of obtaining the required money order for payment, sending documents via Fedex or delivery confirmation. This ensures that all documents are complete and that payment deadlines are met.

Flight Arrangements – Depending on the airline, will make flight reservations for your cat’s transport between 2 weeks and 1 month before the departure date. With cost considerations in mind, we will discuss with you the most efficient routing for your feline. Depending on the breed, age and over-all health of your cat, we will work with you to make the best routing decision for your pet.

Health Certificates – All cats entering the State of Hawaii are required to have a health certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to their ARRIVAL. We strongly recommend you obtain the certificates 5-6 days prior to the departure date. We will be working with you to make sure you have the certificate within the required time frame. We will give you a checklist that you can bring to the vet when getting this health certificate, and we require the certificate to be faxed or scanned for us to be sure it is accurate and complete. For pets traveling within the United States or Guam, International Health Certificates ARE NOT required for entry to Hawaii and neither is USDA endorsement.

Door-to-Door Service – Our import service includes us picking up your pets upon their arrival here in Honolulu and delivery to your home. If your pets are transferring to neighbor islands a transfer to inner-island airlines is also included. All DOGS are given potty breaks immediately after pickup from the quarantine station, crates that have been soiled will be cleaned as well. If you would like someone to pick up your pet for you at your home on the mainland, we can make that happen almost anywhere in the world! As a member of IPATA, we use a network of professional pet movers all over the world, and we can ensure that your pets are safely picked up, and properly checked in for their flight to Hawaii. We can also offer final vet visits and obtaining health certificates for you or your pet’s caretaker if need be as well.

Sending Pets Ahead & Boarding - Many of our clients send their cats to us one or two days ahead of their own departure to Hawaii. We offer boarding for up to 3 nights at our facility located in the Kaka’ako District near Ward Center. This allows our clients to clear out of their current home without stressing themselves or their pets with movers, cleaners and four-legged family members running around! Upon your arrival to Honolulu we can deliver the same day or even the day after your arrival. If you are relocating with your pets to Maui, Kona, Hilo, Kauai, Lanai, or even Molokai, we offer this same boarding service allowing you to fly directly to neighboring islands and settle in before completing your move with your pets!

Day of Departure – If you or a caretaker will be taking your pet to the airport for their flights, we provide you with full maps, and details of the flights and where you need to take your pets. We also provide you with an airport checklist of best practices and what is required for your pet’s safe travel.

Arrival to Hawaii – Upon your pet’s arrival to Honolulu, we will greet them at the quarantine station at the airport, and deliver them to your home located here on Oahu. If you are relocating to neighbor islands we include a transfer to their airline). All cats are given a potty break and stretch from their crates, watered and permitting cooperation they get a picture with an Aloha Lei!!